Rhode Island Fatal Crash Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Performance Measures Core Outcomes, Rhode Island has experience a gradual decrease of the number of people who die each year in traffic accidents. The outcomes show that from 2005 through 2014, traffic enforcement efforts are working and more drivers are recognizing the importance of safe behaviors on the road.
The NHTSA reports that about 52 traffic fatalities occurred in Rhode Island in 2014, a significant decrease from 87 fatalities in 2005. Of those who died in accidents, 25 were in passenger vehicles and nine were not wearing their seatbelts, down from 19 unrestrained passenger car deaths in 2013 and from the ten-year high of 37 in 2005.
Drunk driving is decreasing in the state, as alcohol related fatalities fell from a high of 34 in 2009 to a low of 18 in 2014, putting the state well below the national average for drunk driving deaths. Still, even one preventable highway death is too many, so we must continue to do what we can to stop drunk driving.
Speeding also takes too many lives each year, though our state has realized a large decline in speed-related fatalities. In fact, these types of highway deaths have fallen from a high of 42 in 2006 to a ten-year low of 12 in 2014.
Motorcycle deaths have fallen from a high of 19 in 2009 to 10 in 2014. Unfortunately, seven of these riders were not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The NHTSA estimates that 100 percent helmet usage could have saved an additional three lives.
More and more people are riding bicycles across the country but because most roadways were built for the safety of cyclists, too many die in motor vehicle collisions every year. Rhode Island cyclist fatalities have bucked the trend with bicyclists deaths falling from three in 2013 to zero in 2014.
Pedestrian deaths on the other hand are very troublesome and we have been unable to make any real headway in reducing the number of walkers and joggers who died in year on our roads. Data shows that 14 pedestrians died in motor vehicle accidents in 2005, 2011, 2013, and in 2014 though in some years, fatalities rose as high as 16 and as low as 5. More has to be done to protect the most vulnerable roadway users and many states are actively working to design pedestrian/bicyclists safe travel zones.
America’s highways and bi-ways are dangerous. If you’ve been injured in a car accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you need a dedicated team of attorneys and legal professionals fighting for your rights. Our attorneys have a long and proven record of helping the victims of car accidents get the compensation they deserve.
Call us today if you or a loved one were injured in a
- Commercial bus crashes
- School bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck crashes
- Motorcycle collisions
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Semi-truck crashes
We’ll fight insurance companies, negligent operators, and reckless drivers to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.